Kozhikode, Jan 18: A "fifth-generation dynast" Rahul Gandhi has no chance in Indian politics against a "hard-working and self-made" Narendra Modi, and Kerala did a disastrous thing by electing the the Congress leader to Parliament, historian Ramachandra Guha said here on Friday.
Guha said the reduction of the Congress from a "great party" during the freedom movement to a "pathetic family firm" now is one of the reasons for the ascendency of Hindutva and jingoism in India.
"I have nothing against Rahul Gandhi personally. He is a decent fellow, very well-mannered. But young India does not want a fifth-generation dynast. If you Malyalis make the mistake of re-electing Rahul Gandhi in 2024 too, you are merely handing over an advantage to Narendra Modi," said Guha on the second day of the ongoing Kerala Literature Festival (KLF) during his talk, "Patriotism Vs Jingoism".
Addressing the crowd, full of Keralites, he said, "Kerala, you have done many wonderful things for India, but one of the disastrous thing you did was to elect Rahul Gandhi to Parliament."
"Narendra Modi's great advantage is that he is not Rahul Gandhi. He is self-made. He has run a state for 15 years, he has an administrative experience, he is incredibly hard working and he never takes holidays in Europe. Believe me I am saying all this in all seriousness," he said.
But, even if Rahul Gandhi was "much more intelligent, more hard-working, never took a holiday in Europe, as a fifth generation dynast he still will be at a disadvantage against a self-made person", the 61-year-old author said.
He took on Congress president Sonia Gandhi too who, he said, reminded him of the "late Mughal dynasty" and how aloof they were of the state of their kingdom.
"India is becoming more democratic and less feudal, and the Gandhis just don't realise this. You (Sonia) are in Delhi, your kingdom is shrinking more and more but still your chamchas (sycophants) are telling you that you are still the badshah," he said.
Further, he quoted his teacher and noted Indian sociologist Andre Beteille to describe the story of Nehru-Gandhi family as a classic "reversal of the famous Biblical injunction": the sins of the father will be visited upon seven successive generations.
"In the Nehru's case, it is the sins of the seven successive generations have been re-visited upon Nehru... look at the national debate today. Why is Nehru evoked everytime? Why does Modi always say Nehru ne Kashmir mein yeh kiya, China mein yeh kiya, Triple Talaq mein yeh kiye ... because Rahul Gandhi is there.
"Now if Rahul Gandhi disappears, Modi has to talk about his own policies and why they failed," he said.
According to Guha, "Hypocrisy of the Indian Left -- the fact that they loved other nations more than India", "rise of aggressive nationalism worldwide" and "the rise of Islamic fundamentalism in neighbouring countries" are some other reasons behind the evident leap of Hindutva in India in the recent times.
Historian William Dalrymple, novelists like Benyamin, Namita Gokhale, Chetan Bhagat and journalists Karan Thapar and Rajdeep Sardesai are among the many other writers who will be attending the four-day festival.
The focus theme of KLF 2020 is environment and climate change.
Yadgir, Aug 8: In a shocking incident, a teenage girl died after a snake bit her in Yadgir district on Sunday.
Comments
RIP ...plis some one filled the on naga devata ... I think he retrun to naga loka ....
Yaar please call the creator as god....not creation....koi bhi jaati ho...don't take the characters of valmiki tales and call all the characters in it as GOD....keep it device...not every Pathar kutta billli saamp GO ect
Hinduism is commonly perceived as a polytheistic religion, Indeed most hindus would attest to this, by professing belief in multiple gods. while some hindus believe in the existence of 3 gods. some believe in thousands of gods and some other in thirty three crore i.e 330 million gods how ever learned hindus who is well versed in scriptures insist that a hindu should believe in one god.
The major difference between hindu and muslim is perception of god is common. Hindu belief in philosophy of pantheism. pantheism considers everything living and non living. to be divine and sacred.the common hindu therefore consider everything as god.he consider sun moon snake monkey etc and even human being as manifestations of god!
Islam on the contrary, exhorts man to consider himself and his surroundings as example divine creation rather then as divinity itself. Muslim therefore believe that everything is God's i.e the word god with an apostrophe 's'. In other words muslim believe that everything belong to god. The tree snake monkey etcin the universe belong to god.
Thus the major difference between the Hindu and Muslim Beliefs is the difference of apostrophe 's'. The Hindu says everything is god. The Muslim says everything is God's. Therefore 'WORSHIP THE CREATOR NOT HIS CREATIONS.
How can a god bite and kill his creations?
Yeh Wrong No. hai, Read your authentic scriptures and ponder on it.
RIP!
Superstition belief....snake does not spare anyone....but it should have...cant play with it....
we cannot blame the snake here because
girls know that is god as per hindhu culture but
snake dont know that it is god
Cow, buffalo, Rat, Elephant, Crow, Monkey, Donkey, Snake.. What next? Mooka praani galella dewara? worship the creator not creations! and specially not animals..
Indians are foolish, this happens only in India they do not know what to worship linga, snake, monkey, donkey, pig etc.....
Yes to cover their cunning and so called deva bhakti, some will start to blame that lady. Punishment from Naag devtha and they will continue these bling practice.
karana rao, Where is naga loka?
Whatever may be the reason, we lost a precious life. Pray for God's mercy on the poor family.
Snake is not God or it will not take you to God. Worship the creator and not his creation.
this is called mooda nambike and she deserve for it.
she will directly go to nagaloka, lucky girl.
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